MacBook Pro M3 Max (Top config) Video Codec Tests

ChrisNicholson
edited November 2023 in SecuritySpy

Just got the new M3 Max MBP 16" and thought I would share codec test results. Seems like some weirdness in some runs (0 FPS), but still thought I'd post just FYI.

Mac model: Mac15,9

macOS version: 14.1.1

CPU description: Apple M3 Max

CPU type: Arm

CPU physical core count: 16

CPU logical core count: 16

GPU description: Unknown

Available codecs: H.264, H.265, JPEG, ProRes 422 Proxy, ProRes 422 LT, ProRes 422, ProRes 422 HQ, ProRes 4444


RUN 1: H.264 2K Decode

Software processing

Throughput: 1494 fps, Frames: 20436, CPU: 100 %


RUN 2: H.264 2K Decode

Internal hardware processing

Throughput: 1495 fps, Frames: 21830, CPU: 16 %


RUN 3: H.264 2K Decode

Software and internal hardware processing

Throughput: 2326 fps, Frames: 32161, CPU: 99 %


RUN 4: H.264 4K Decode

Software processing

Throughput: 1114 fps, Frames: 15395, CPU: 100 %


RUN 5: H.264 4K Decode

Internal hardware processing

Throughput: 658 fps, Frames: 9118, CPU: 17 %


RUN 6: H.264 4K Decode

Software and internal hardware processing

Throughput: 1637 fps, Frames: 22166, CPU: 100 %


RUN 7: H.264 2K Encode

Software processing

Throughput: 444 fps, Frames: 5649, CPU: 99 %


RUN 8: H.264 2K Encode

Internal hardware processing

Throughput: 181 fps, Frames: 2638, CPU: 15 %


RUN 9: H.264 2K Encode

Software and internal hardware processing

Throughput: 623 fps, Frames: 8425, CPU: 100 %


RUN 10: H.264 4K Encode

Software processing

Throughput: 125 fps, Frames: 1608, CPU: 100 %


RUN 11: H.264 4K Encode

Internal hardware processing

Throughput: 103 fps, Frames: 1527, CPU: 14 %


RUN 12: H.264 4K Encode

Software and internal hardware processing

Throughput: 223 fps, Frames: 3096, CPU: 100 %


RUN 13: H.265 2K Decode

Software processing

Throughput: 2071 fps, Frames: 28972, CPU: 100 %


RUN 14: H.265 2K Decode

Internal hardware processing

Throughput: 2431 fps, Frames: 33920, CPU: 14 %


RUN 15: H.265 2K Decode

Software and internal hardware processing

Throughput: 3757 fps, Frames: 51998, CPU: 99 %


RUN 16: H.265 4K Decode

Software processing

Throughput: 1664 fps, Frames: 22795, CPU: 99 %


RUN 17: H.265 4K Decode

Internal hardware processing

Throughput: 633 fps, Frames: 8832, CPU: 14 %


RUN 18: H.265 4K Decode

Software and internal hardware processing

Throughput: 2156 fps, Frames: 30045, CPU: 99 %


RUN 19: H.265 2K Encode

Software processing

Throughput: 47 fps, Frames: 643, CPU: 99 %


RUN 20: H.265 2K Encode

Internal hardware processing

Throughput: 194 fps, Frames: 2840, CPU: 20 %


RUN 21: H.265 2K Encode

Software and internal hardware processing

Throughput: 31 fps, Frames: 32, CPU: 12 %


RUN 22: H.265 4K Encode

Software processing

Throughput: 0 fps, Frames: 0, CPU: 11 %


RUN 23: H.265 4K Encode

Internal hardware processing

Throughput: 0 fps, Frames: 0, CPU: 11 %


RUN 24: H.265 4K Encode

Software and internal hardware processing

Throughput: 0 fps, Frames: 0, CPU: 10 %

Comments

  • Thanks for posting this - very interesting! The hardware-accelerated performance seems similar to the M2 Max/Pro but the software performance is significantly improved, which is expected since the CPU performance of the M3 is meant to be around 15% faster than the M2.

    The 0 fps results for H.265 4K encoding are surprising. I'm sure this machine is capable of encoding H.265 video data, so the fact that these tests are failing points to a possible macOS bug. I expect this will be addressed by Apple in a future update.